Real Weddings: Emma & Steve

Emma Zinsmeister & Steve Swartz

July 17, 2010The State Room, Boston

EMMA ZINSMEISTER IS THE OPPOSITE of a bridezilla. Instead of looking out for numero uno, the program analyst (who works for the Environmental Protection Agency) put Mother Earth ahead of everyone on her wedding day. “We found businesses and products that reflected our environmentally and socially conscious lifestyle,” she says.

Emma and college sweetheart Steve Swartz offered their guests a meal with as many organic, locally grown, and sustainably harvested ingredients as possible, and most of their flowers came from local farms. The couple went even further by “[finding] paper products and stationery with the highest recycled content possible and [reducing] the number of paper items needed overall,” she says. Instead of giving each guest a dinner menu, for example, each table had one to share. The bride and groom worked with local companies rather than big-box vendors to create the natural atmosphere they were looking for.

And even though the State Room is in a 33-story skyscraper, it has an organic feel to it, Emma explains, noting the hardwood floors, natural light, and amazing views of the city. “We considered getting married outside,” she says. “But not in the middle of July in Boston!”

ADVERTISMENT

You May Also Like:

Be respectful of our online community and contribute to an engaging conversation. We reserve the right to remove impersonators or personal attacks, threats, profanity, or flat-out offensive comments. By posting here, you are permitting Boston magazine and Metro Corp. to edit and republish your comment in all media.